With Thanksgiving Day less than a week away, we invited Ian Dealhey of Robert Oatley Vineyards to join us for a pouring of fine wines that will pair well with a turkey dinner, or for entertaining over the holiday weekend, or, for that matter, enjoying at home with a meal at any time. All are under $20.00 and represent a great price to quality value ratio. Bob Oatley is a proud and passionate Australian who is credited with pioneering Australian wine to the rest of the world. He owned Rosemount Estate, for several decades the most recognized and successful family-owned Australian winery. After selling off the Rosemount Estate, Bob looked around for something new to do and guess what? He started a new winery. In 2006, the family purchased the historic Craigmoor property on the outskirts of the Mudgee township in New South Wales. The old winery, now a tasting room and visitor center, was established in 1858. The surrounding vineyards grow some of the finest grapes in the region, all of which are in the capable hands of Sandy, his eldest son.

2008 ROBERT OATLEY VINEYARDS SAUVIGNON BLANCList price 14.95; our price 10.99This delightfully zesty, tropical flavored white wine is devoid of any oak influence. The development of tropical fruit flavors rather than Sauvignon’s often dominant grassy notes imply cool-fermentation in stainless steel. Most of the wine was racked leaving some portions on the lees to add structure, texture and additional palate weight. The wine is lean and fresh, enlivened by crisp acidity, and offering notes of peach, kiwi and mango with highlights of lime and grapefruit.

2008 ROBERT OATLEY VINEYARDS PINOT GRIGIOList price 14.95; our price 10.99This wine is medium bodied and crisp, somewhere between Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, without a trace of oak to interfere with the spicy aromas and ripe apple and pear flavors. There’s plenty of acidity here for pairing with saltier foods and enough body and fruit to stand up to richer light meat dishes.

2007 ROBERT OATLEY VINEYARDS CHARDONNAYList price 15.95; our price 11.99A variety of winemaking regimes were employed to produce a complex, yet fruit driven style. The fruit was grown on Oatley family vineyards and harvested at optimum ripeness. Half of the blend was cold fermented in stainless steel, and the remainder barrel fermented then aged in one-third brand new French oak. Much of the blend underwent a secondary fermentation that softened the wine’s acidity, leaving us to enjoy a delicious creamy texture.

2008 ROBERT OATLEY VINEYARDS ROSÉ OF SANGIOVESEList price 13.50; our price 9.99The blend for this rosé is 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. It was produced in the ‘saignée’ method of making rosé, where the wine is drained off the skins after only a short period of contact, producing a pink rather than red wine. It was deliberately made at the drier end of the spectrum for rosé, but with fresh wild strawberry aromas and a hint of leafy greenness. The flavors are cherry and stone fruit with big chewy berry fruit. It is an excellent value, in an excellent style that will please red wine drinkers.

2007 ROBERT OATLEY VINEYARDS SHIRAZList price 19.99; our price 17.99This is a fine display of the dense flavors of the varietal, offering candied cherry and blackberry on the nose with complex earth and spice notes. The deep dark fruit flavors are brightened by a zesty mineral note. It shows a wonderful balance and complexity with relatively low alcohol and good balancing acidity. There is a subtle smokiness but the wine finishes with inviting sweetness and straightforward, slightly jammy, dark berry flavors.

2007 ROBERT OATLEY VINEYARDS CABERNET MERLOTList price 19.99; our price 17.99​This blend of 51% Cabernet and 49% Merlot is matured for 12 months in French oak barrels. The nose of this wine is filled with bright red cherry notes and a hint of vanilla. In the mouth it shows earthy herbal accents combined with ripe blackberry and toasted oak, some black pepper and hints of sour cherry. The tannins are nicely integrated and there is sufficient fruit to carry the wine through to a long, lush, mouth-filling finish. Delicious now, it will reward additional aging.